g-ornall



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. GORNALL.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 342,252. Patented May 18, 1886.

I I WQZ Gcnvali N. PETERS, Photo-Lilhagnpher, Washmglcn. o. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 RGORNALL, STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. R. GORNALL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 342,252. Patented May 18, 1886.

Urvrrnn STATES PATENT @FFICE.

RICHARD GORNALL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONFrHALF TO GEORGEA. DUBREUIL, OF SAME PLACE.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342,252, dated May 18,1886.

Application filed February 11, 1886. Serial No. 191,608. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD GORNALL, of Baltimore, State of Maryland,have invented a new and useful Improvement in StoreSer- 5 viceApparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same.

My invention is an improved store-service apparatus for carrying cashand parcels to and fro between the salesmans counter and the cashiersdesk.

It consists in the various devices and combination of deviceshereinafter fully described, and enumerated in the claims.

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings inconnection with va-.

rious details of construction similar to those shown in Letters PatentNos. 825,168 and 325,205, these details being modified to meet therequirements of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the way extending between the salesmanscounter and the cashiers desk, the wire being broken away. Fig. 2 is anenlarged view of the mechanism at the ends of the way. Fig. 8 is a viewof modifications. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the mechanism for operatingthe carrier at the salesmans counter.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the wireway is represented at a. It is stretchedbetween the cashiers desk and the salesmans counter, and at either endis securely fastened to the projecting ends of curved metal ,rods ortracks I) I). These curved rods form an extension of the way upon 3 5which the carrier runs, and guides the carrier, as shown in theleft ofFig. 1, down within convenient reach of the cashier.

At the salesmans counter a standard, A, is secured from the counter orthe floor, if desired, and the curved rod bis adapted to have verticalmovement upon this standard. A strap, 0, encircles the lower end of therod I), and between its inside ends it supports a pulley, 1, which bearsagainst the frontof the standard A. 4 5 At a suitable distance above thelower end of the curved track b is secured a strap,

which encircles said rod, similar to the strap a, and extends to theopposite side of the standard A, carrying a suitable pulley, 2, which 50bears upon the back part of the standard, thus firmly supporting thetrack I) in position, and

allowing it to be moved up and down to raise or lower the end of the waycarried thereby. The movement of the curved track is limited by means ofa rubber collar, 3, secured to the standard at the point indicated inFigs. 1 and 2.

I have provided the following simple mech anism for raising and loweringthis end of the way. A projection, L, is secured to the rear of thestrap 0, and a cord, 5, is secured there to, extending up and overapulley, 6, fastened to the standard, and down to an eyebolt of theweight 7, which encircles the standard A. The cord is made continuous,and thus forms a loop between the point where it is secured to theweight and the point where it is secured to the projection 4.

In order to elevate the curved track b, to incline the way from thesalesmans counter to the cashiers desk, it is only necessary to graspthe loop at the side nearest the standard, and a single pull willelevate the end of the curved track to the stop In order to lower it,the other cord of the loop is pulled upon, and it is returned to itslowest position.

In order to elevate the car to the curve of the track I), and to give itan initial impulse,

I provide a light wire frame, (1'. In Fig. 2 this frame is shown at itslowest point ready to lift the end of the carrier-frame to the track,and in Fig. 1 it is shown in its elevated posi' tion after it has giventhe impulse to start the car. It is secured to a large pulley, 9, bymeans of a rope, 10, the pulley being adj ustably supported upon thestandard A and the rope 10 being directly secured to said pulley. By theside of this large pulley 9 is a small pulley, 11, and from this pulleya rope, 8, is coiled around the said pulley and extends to a weight, 7,to which it is secured. It 0 will thus be seen that in the downwardmovement of the cord 5 to elevate the curved track the weight 7 will bepulled down by said cord, and by means of the connections between theweight and the frame (1 this frame 5 will be raised. It encircles thecurved track, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in the movement of theparts, as the curved trackb is elevated to incline the way the frame orkicker (1 will travel faster by reason of the arrangement of the pulleys9 and 11., and will lift the end of the carrier-frame from the positionshown in Fig. 2, and start it over the end of the track Z) with a suddenimpulse, which is sufficient to carryit to the cashiers desk. Thesalesman then lowers the curved track, and consequently the way at hisend, by pulling on the rope, and thus places the way in condition forthe return of the carrier. As the end of the curved track is lowered,the weight 7 is raised and the frame orkicker (1 drops by its ownweight. The cord which connects the kicker to the pulley 9 is of suchlength that the lower end of the kicker does not quite extend to thebuffer 12 carried on the curved track, but is held a little above thatpoint, so that on the return of the carrier the forward end of the framestrikes against the bottom of therkiekcr d, which thus acts as a buffer,the shock being taken up by the lifting of the weight 7, the buffer 12being placed below it to prevent any shock that might occur at thispoint from a heavily-loaded car.

I have thus fully described the means for lowering and raising the wayand for elevat ing and impelling the carrier upon the way at thesalesmans counter.

At the cashiers desk a suitable standard, B, is provided, and to this issecured a curved track, I), by means of bolts a short distance from theside of said standard, as shown on the left of Fig. 2, sothat the frontend of the frame of the carrier may pass down within convenient reach ofthe salesmans hand without any obstruction being offered to its passageby the said standard B. The wire of the way is laid in a groove in thiscurved track from its front end to near its lower end,where it issecured to the eye of a screw passing through an eyebolt with a nut onthe under side, so that the wire may be tightened by turning up the nuton the end of the screw. This end of the way is stationary; but I haveprovided a frame or kicker, d, at its end, similar to that described forthe other end of the way. This kicker is slightly different inconstruction, and is held normally in an elevated position near theupper end of the curved track by means of a rope, e, passing over apulley, held adjustably to the upper end of the standard B, saidropepassing down through an eye in a guide, 0, its lower end beingsecured to a sliding weight, f. As the car passes onto thiscurved track,the frame (1 acts as a buffer, and it descends gently to the end of thecurved way, where it is within convenient reach of the cashier, and whenthe opposite way of the carrier has been lowered and the carrier isready to be returned, the cashier simply pulls upon the rope c, and thuselevates the carrier and gives it animpulse in the same manner asheretofore described. A buffer, f, is secured at the lower end of thecurved track I), as shown. The frame of the carrier consists of wheelshavinga connecting-rod. From this rod a curved rod, 9, is suspended, asshown in Fig. 1, or a cord, as shown in Fig. 2, and

upon this curved rod or cord the cash-box or parcel carrieris supported,so as to swing from one end to the other when the carrier-frame isinclined at the cashier s desk or the salesmans counter.

It will be understood that in order to have the carrier-frame descendupon the curved track the distance between the two ends must beconsiderable, and it is therefore desirable, in order to bring thecash-box or parcel carrier within convenient reach of the salesman orcashier, that the box be adapted to slide toward the lowest end of thecarrier, and for this reason I provide the curved bar g, as shownin Fig.1, or aflexible support, as shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of the apparatus at both ends ofthe way, and while I have shown these two forms together I desire it tobe understood that Ido not limit myself in this connect-ion, as theconstruction heretofore described for the ends of the way may besubstituted for one or the other form to be described. In this form thetrack is shown as fixed in a horizontal position at the cashiers desk toa curved rod, similar to the rod or bar I) in Fig. 2', except that it isinverted, and the wire passes along the face thereof, having atightening device on the end similar to that heretofore described.opposite end of the way, secu red to a suitable standard, is a curvedtrack, I), similar to that heretofore described, except that it issecured rigidly to the suppciting-standard A by means of suitable bolts,which hold it away from the said standard in order to let the carrierpass down within reach of the salesman. The end of the way is fixed tothe end of this curved track, as heretofore described. A frame orkicker, d, is pivoted upon a sliding weight, g, the kicker having aprojecting tail-piece, d". The front end of the kicker extends around infront of the curved trackb The weight g is adapted to move up and downupon the standard A, and has a rope, 13, secured to it,which passes overa pulley adjust-ably secured to the top of the standard and terminatingin a handle within easy reach of the salesman. A curved bracket or arm,h, is adjustably secured to the standard A near the top,curving downwardand having a stop or projectiomh, and in the operation when the carrier,which I have shown at O, is ready to be sent from At the 9 the lower endof the curved track I) to the cashiers desk the kicker d is at itslowest point, the end of the carrier resting upon it, and a quick pullupon the cord 13 will lift the weight g and the kicker secured to it,which will elevate the carrier to the upper part of the curved track,and as the tail-piece d of the carrier comes into contact with the pro jection h of the bracket h the front end of the kicker is thrown forwardand gives a quick impulse to the carrier just as it starts 011 the wireway,which is sufficient to carry it to the cashiers desk. The kicker inthis case, as in the form first described, acts as a buffer on thereturn of the carrier.

At the cashiers desk, immediately in rear of the inverted track I), is aspring-rod, e, which is slotted to form a hook, i, at its lower end, andupon the end of the carrier is pivoted a divided hook, 7.1, which isadapted to pass upon either side of the track I) and hook into thespring-rod i, the impulse imparted by the kicker at being sufficient tocarry the car up to this point. A handle, Z, is secured to the rod i,and when it is desired to return the carrier the cashier simply pullsupon this handle, which releases the pivoted hook and allows the carrierto return to the salesman, the inclination or curve of the track Ifbeing sufficient for this purpose. The inverted shape of the track 1)serves as a buffer, and no additional means is required to stop thecarrier at this point. The mechanism for each end is entirelyindependent of each other and capable of being used with any of theforms described.

I am aware of the patent granted to John C. Corani on the 29th of May,1883, wherein is shown tracks inclining toward and away from thecashiers desk,the end of each track having a guide-rod extendingdownward toward the salesmans counter,and provided with a dropcradleadapted to slide up and down on said rod, and to lower the ball towithin reach of the salesman or to elevate it to the way, and I do notdesire to be understood as claiming such as my invention.

I claim as my, invention- 1. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of a wireway, a carrier supported therefrom, the said wirebeing secured at or near the cashiers desk at one end and at the otherend to a'metal bar,forming an unbroken continuation of the way andcurving from the approximatelyhorizontal plane of the wire to a verticalplane, whereby it is adapted to allow the carrier to descend upon itinto convenient reach of the salesman,and mechanism, substantially asdescribed, for elevating the carrier to the upper end of the curvedtrack and giving it an impulse to start it along the way, as set forth.

2. In a storeservice apparatus, the combination of a wireway, a carriersupported therefrom, the said wire being secured at its ends to metalbars forming an unbroken conlinuation of the way at each end and curvingfrom the approximately horizontal plane of the wire to a vertical plane,whereby they are adapted to allow the carrier to descend upon them intoconvenient reach of the salesman and cashier, and mechanism,substantially as described, for elevating the carrier to the upper endof the curved track and giving it an impulse to start italong the way,as set forth. 3.. The combination, in a store-service apparatus, of theway, a carrier supported therefrom, said way being secured at one end ator near the cashiers desk, and at the other end to a curved trackforming an extension of the way, the said curved track being verticallymovable, whereby the way is inclined, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a store-service apparatus, of the way, a carriersupported therefrom, said way being secured at either end to the curvedtracks forming an extension thereof, the curved track at one end beingvertically movable, whereby the way is inclined, and mechanism,substantially as described, for elevating the carrier to the wireway andimpelling it thereon, substantially as described.

5. In combination, in a storeservice apparatus, a wireway with a carriermounted thereon, curvedtracks at either end, to which the way issecured, mechanism for raising and low; cring one of said tracks, andmechanism, substantiall y as described, at either end of the said wayadapted to elevate the carrier to the track and give it an initialimpulse, substantially as described.

6. In combination, in a store-service apparatus, a wireway, a curvedtrack, a combined buffer, and elevating and impelling mechanismconsisting of a weighted frame, substantially as described.

7. In combination, in a store-service apparatus, a wireway secured tocurved tracks lorining an extension of thej wireway, the curved track atone end being adapted to be raised or lowered upon a suitable standardby means of a cord passing over pulleys, an interposed weight, 7, andconnections between said weight and a kicker, (1, whereby the saidkicker is operated with the same motion that operates the movable track,substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a way secured to downwardly-curved tracksforming a continuation thereof, of the carrier-frame mounted on saidway, adapted to descend upon the curved track, and a cash box or carriersecured to said frame so as to move from one end thereof to the other,so as to be within reach of the salesman, substantially as described.

9. The combination,with the way secured to (lownwardly eurved tracksforming a continnation thereof, of a carrier-frame mounted on said way,adapted to descend upon the curved track, a bent rod or wire, g, and thebox or carriersupported thereon, whereby it is adapted to slide from oneend to the other, so as to be in close proximity to the salesinans orcash iers hand when at one end or the other of the way, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of the way secured ateither end to a curved track forming a continuation thereof and adaptedto lower the car within reach of the salesman or cashier, mechanism,substantially as described, for elevating and lowering one of saidtracks, a combined buffer, elevat- IIO ing and ilnpeiling mechanismconsisting of a adjustably supported from its lower end, subweightedframe at either end of said Way, and stantially as described.

means, substantially as described, for operat- In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name ing said mechanism, all as set forth. I to thisspecification in the presence of two sub- 11. The combination, in astore-service apscribing Witnesses.

paratns, of a Way, a carrier supported perma- RICHARD GORNALD nentlythereon, said way being secured at one end at or near the cashiers deskand at the \Vitnesses:

other end to a curved track forming an eX- WALTER DONALDSON, 1o tensionof the way, said curved track being ISADORE MIDDLETON,

